maynaed



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

G. A. MAYNARD.

MANUFACTURE 0F SHOVELS,

No. 373,530. Nov. 22, 1887.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. A. MAYNARD.

MANUFACTURE OF SHOVELS. No. 373,530. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

WITNEEEEE. INVENTEIIfl- QOJLG/ all v 7 N. .FETER$, Pholo-Lithognphbnwahin mn. D. C.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3. G. A. MAYNARD.

MANUFACTURE OF SHOVELSQ N0. 373,530. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

7. 6. Fig; .9. M

INVENTOR 0/2018. fl..7l421ynaid,

kjl flttorrieys I W UNITED STATES "ATENT Fries.

CHARLES A. MAYNARD, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY G.MAYNARD, OF SAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF SHOVELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,530, dated November22, 1887,

Application filed February 14,1885. Serial No. 155,869. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. hLlYNARD, of Northampton, in the countyof Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Shovels, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the form of myimproved shovel in which a socket is used, a part of the handle beingbroken away, which, when complete, is as seen in Fig. 5, but may be astraight cylinder. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal central section of theblade, shank, and socket of my shovel as shown in Fig. 1, with thehandle appearing in place in the socket. Fig. 3 shows a cross section ofthe blade, taken through the lines 00 x of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows across-section of the shank, taken through the lines 3/ y of Fig. 2. Fig.5 is a view in elevation of another form of my improved shovel, which isthe same as shown in Fig. 1, exceptthat the shank is finished in form ofa tang instead of a socket, and has a different mode of fastening to thehandle. Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal central section of the blade, shank,and part of the handle, with its fastening to the shank, as said partsare shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows a metal bar, preferably of steel oriron, suitable for cutting out blanks of the proper size to make myimproved shovel. Fig. 8 shows the blanks after they are cut from the barby means of suitable dies or shears in order not to waste the metal.Fig. 9 shows a blank with a slit or cut, 2, in one side, preparatory tobeing drawn out for shank and socket, or shankand tang, as the case maybe. Fig. 10 shows the'shank drawn out and the metal flattenedpreparatory to forming a socket by bending up and welding it into asocket, as shown in Fig. 11. To finish up the socket I prefer to insertinto it a steel or iron pin and then to press it between two half-dies,as indicated in Fig. 12. Fig. 13 shows the stock for the blade partiallyspread by being rolled. In rolling out the blade the stock is leftheaviestin the center, next where the shank projects, so as to form asort of reenforce or rib tapering from the shank toward the center ofthe blade. Fig. l ishows the finished blade rolled out to proper size,afterward to be shaped up and trimmed at the corners, as shown in Figs.1 and 5.

plied in the usual way; but any other mode 0f fastening may be used.

In the alternate mode of fastening the blade and shank together (shownin Figs. 5 and 6) the blade A is the same as in Fig. 1. The shank B isthe same, except it has a tang added instead of asoeket, through whichrivets are passed, and the handle D is the same, except as to means offastening.

The term handle in this specification does not include the shank orsocket, but refers to the usual wooden part, whether it be a straighthandle, as shown in Fig. 5, with its means of attachment to the socketor shank. The back point of grasp, which in Fig. 5 is f, is the part ofthe handle usually grasped for steadying with one hand while lifting inuse with the other.

The blades of shovels are usually rolled or plated of substantiallyuniform thickness of metal, like the blades made of sheet-steel, apocket being often opened after plating to admit a part of the woodenhandle, the thickness of both sides of the erosssection of the pocket,however, only equaling the general thickness of the blade; but in myshovel I use a solid shank integral with the blade, and to giveadditional strength against breakage liable at or near the connection ofa blade with a small solid shank I leave a re-enforce or rib, e, (shownin cross section in Fig. 3) consisting of an increased thickness ofthemetal of the blade greatest at or near the junction of the shank andblade and gradually diminishingin all directions on the blade therefromuntil the general thickness of the blade is reached.

This shovel is one in which the blade and shank in one form and theblade, shank, and socket in the other are made,by rolling, forging,plating, and other processes out,ofa single piece of steel or iron, theblade and shank in the'one case and the blade, shank, and socket in theother being absolutely integral each with each without any attachmentofone part to another by brazing or otherwise soldering, by screws, bywelding, riveting, or fastening in any way in the process ofmam1facture,and

ICC

ing overa former and welding the edges of the fiat metal together; butsaid parts are united only each to each and each portion of each part"to each other portion (except-in the single case of welding described)by their original molecular union as parts of one piece of metal.

In my improved shovel so constructed the imperfect union of partsexisting in all the known methods of fastening, the liability of rivetsand screws to loosen, and of breakage at welds, which is frequentlycaused by the burning of the iron or steel in the process of welding,and the inconvenient projections rendered necessary by the fasteningsoften used, are entirely avoided,and a perfect blade is secured, smoothinside and out, with a much stronger attachment to the parts connectingit with its handle than has hitherto been manufactured.

The additional strength secured in the union of the shank and blade, asdescribed, as well as the saving of stock and labor made by avoiding theneed of broad surfaces for a strong weld, render feasible in shovels ofmoderate cost the use, in connection with the blade, of a small curvedshank, which takes 'less room at the blade than the straps and woodenhandle, which usually project down to the blade, thereby enabling thepower to be applied in use nearer centrally on the blade and making alighter and less clumsy tool. This use of a curved shank, furnishing inthat portion wherein it is independent of the handle all or as much asmay be desired of the curvature required between the back point of graspof the handle and the blade, also enables the use of a straight handleand saves the cost of bending, enabling a person without skill toreplace a broken handle. The identity of the socket and shank tends alsoto the strength of their union and enables the use of a smaller shank.Being the most substantial fastening for the handle, I prefer it to theferrule, and when a socket is used a new handle may be more easilyfitted by an unskilled person incase of break,- age. Of course the shankmay be short enough to allow a grasp of the hand upon the handle orsocket as near to the blade as desired.

The shank not being re-enforced by the handle, is constructed to endurealone without breakage the stress required in the use of the shovel inthe portion in which itis an independentpart, and may be madelargeenough, therefor, with a circular cross-section, or having its sectionelongated or oval, as shown in Fig. 4, with its longest diameter in linewith the plane in which loads on the blade would be lifted in use of theshovel, or the shank may be made hollow as an extension of the socket orotherwise, which construction, however, would practically require a weldin it.

The process by which I make my improved shovel is already indicated inthe above description of the drawings; but I will state it moreexplicitly. I first take a steel or other suitable metal bar, M, ofconvenient dimensions as to width and thickness, the exact dim'ensionsnot being material, and cut from it, by means of certain suitableshears, blanks N- such as shown in the drawings-of suitable /weight anddimensions to be forged into an integral shovel-blade, shank, andsocket, or tang. By cutting the bar in the manner indicated in thedotted lines of Fig. 7 no stock is wasted, and each blank will have aprojection, O, inclined on one side at P. Each blank is then cut, asindicated at 2, which leaves it in shape to forge or draw out parts forthe shank, blade,and socket. I next draw out the stock for the shank,then plate or spread the stock preparatory to bending it to 'form thesocket. I thenfold and lap the edges of the fiat part to form thesocket. half-dies and a pin within the socket to perfectly form thesocket and weld the lap, as indicated in Fig. 12. I next spreadi thestock for the blade, and I use roller-dies formed so as to leave thestock heaviest in the center of the blade near where the shank projects,so as to form a re-enforce or rib tapering toward the center of theblade, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. By the rolling-process, or it might beby hammering or forging, the shovel-blade is plated or drawn down to theproper thickness and size, and then is shaped and trimmed at the cornersin the usual manner. I thus get a complete shovel-blade, shank, andmeans for fastening them to a wooden handle, all of one piece of metal,and that disposed'to the best advantage to combine lightness andstrength. The attachment of the blade to the shank is firm and secure,and the shape of the shank is such as to give it the requisite strengthwith the minimum weight of metal. If I form a tang instead of a socketfor fastening on a wooden handle, then the metal is simply elongated andpointed, instead ofbeing flattened and folded to form a socket.

What I claim as my invention, and for which I pray Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improvement in the art of manufacturing shovels, thehereindescribed method, which. consists, first, in taking a steel orother suitable metal bar of convenient dimensions, and cutting from it ablank with a projection inclined on one side, such asfshownin Fig. 8 ofthe drawings, then cutting a slit in the blank, as indicated at a, Fig.9, then forging or drawing out the stock for the shank, and then forgingor drawing out the metal for the blade, substantially as set forth.

2. A blank for the manufacture of shovelblades and handle-fastenings ofone, piece of metal, consisting of the parts N and O, the latter beinginclined at P, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses: CHARLES l. MAYNARD.

' J. C. HAMMOND,

H. P. FIELD.

I then preferably employ I IIO

